The present invention relates to image processing devices and methods, and more particularly to an image processing device and method for a video game. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to improvements of the techniques for facilitating identification of characters displayed on a display.
Conventionally, image processing has been applied in many fields. Recently, a new image processing technique has been established in the field of video game devices. Conventional game processing devices are generally composed of a game device body which executes various game programs stored beforehand, a peripheral device controller which gives operation commands to the respective elements of the game device body, and a display which displays the result of the processing performed by the game device body.
The game processing devices of this type are constructed so as to perform a desired processing operation through the peripheral device controller on the characters displayed on the display. For example, the player visually identifies a character as an attacked object displayed on the display, and manipulates a gun unit to make a predetermined attack on the identified character. The game device body determines success or failure in the attack on the basis of whether the attack has been made appropriately.
Conventionally, the player cannot easily identify a character which is subjected to image processing because the character is displayed in a small size on the display screen or a plurality of characters is displayed simultaneously. In order to clearly display a character to the player in the field of video game devices, several improvements have been tried. For example, in order to facilitate the identification of the character, a cursor which identifies the character is displayed on the display screen such that the cursor is moved along with the character. In addition, when an attack on the character fails, the character is displayed in an enlarged scale.
In the field of video game devices, however, the content of the game becomes sophisticated and the speed at which the game picture is developed increases. Thus, in the conventional character display techniques, it is difficult to display the character such that it is identified easily and rapidly. Even when the identification of the character is facilitated in the conventional game processing devices, an auxiliary display for the player to predict the next movement of the character has not been allowed for.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an image processing device and method which is capable of easily and rapidly identifying a character displayed on the display screen and of predicting the next movement of the character.